As career coaches, every week we receive questions from working people about many aspects of their professional lives and career aspirations.
Some people are thinking about quitting their job, others want to start their own business, others want to dive into a complete new industry, etc.
Many questions are from people that are facing career dilemmas, like Claire, 36, from East London:
“ I currently work as a PA at a financial institution. I like my job but I feel is not challenging me enough anymore.
Over the last year it got to a point where I feel no motivation to go to work besides my pay check.
I know this isn’t a way to live and I feel I’m getting to a point where I need to seriously make a change. But how can I be sure it is the right time to do a career change?”
Claire’s dilemma is more usual than what you would think. Sometimes combining your gut feeling with rational thinking can be difficult.
So to help you understand if you need a career change, here are the 5 most important factors:
- You feel it in your gut
Some call it intuition, others call it gut feeling. It is something that is felt deep down.
When you think about going to your current job, it makes you feel like you’ve had been punched in the stomach. Some people even experience pain.
When thinking about changing to a new job or career it is the opposite. It is a feeling of expansion, butterflies in the stomach.
And the thing is, the feeling doesn’t go away. Your soul is trying to tell you it’s time.
- You’re constantly exhausted and drained
Maybe you think you need to exercise more, eat more healthy, go to bed early, etc.
But the core of your problem is your work.
If you don’t like your work and you are forcing yourself to go there every single day, it will make your body break down. It is a way of your body to tell you it’s time to move on and that you should listen to it.
- Your salary doesn’t motivate you anymore
Some people hate their jobs but still they manage to keep themselves motivated because the salary is great and enables them to live a certain lifestyle.
But eventually it gets to a point where the boredom ad emptiness you feel is so much that no amount of money can make up for it.
And very often is when people finally realize they can have both a job they love and the money they need, that’s it’s time to change careers.
- You feel you could do so much more
You feel you hit a plateau and that your skills and talents are not being fully used, leaving you feeling deeply frustrated.
You constantly think about how things could be done differently or are a very creative person with amazing ideas, but have no way of all that being brought up into reality in your current job.
So, you start thinking is time to find a new place where you can use all your talent or even start your own business.
- You constantly find information about changing careers
Yes the Universe is trying to communicate with you by bringing you information that is time to move on.
Maybe that’s even how you came across this article in the first place.
Emails in your inbox, articles you find on social media, conversations in coffee shop, all seem to be around changing jobs or careers.
No it’s not a coincidence. It is a very strong sign that you it’s time to change.
Over to You
If you feel it’s time for a career change and need guidance from an experienced career coach, contact us today on info@gatewaycareers.co.uk or call 0800 0439115
We can’t wait to start a new journey with you!